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Wellcome Library

Birth Control Campaign

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0120 SA/BCC

Held at: Wellcome Library

Title: Birth Control Campaign

Date(s): 1971-1977

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 19 boxes and 3 transfer boxes

Name of creator(s): Birth Control Campaign
Birth Control Trust

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Birth Control Campaign was the pressure group of the Birth Control Trust (a registered charity), although it was set up before the Trust in 1971. It took political action in the form of lobbying for National Health Services in this field, and defended and promoted existing legislation, such as the 1967 Abortion Act. The Trust, however, published pamphlets on aspects of birth control, abortion and population and acted as an information resource centre: being a charity it could defend existing law but not campaign for changes. From 1971 to 1974 the Birth Control Campaign campaigned for the wider provision of male sterilisation (vasectomy) and for completely free provision of contraception under the NHS. After 1974, when legislation was passed on these matters, the BCC turned its attention to campaigning for improved NHS facilities for contraception, abortion and sterilisation and for these services to be advertised and promoted. The Campaign was also been actively involved in opposing attempts to restrict the terms of the 1967 Abortion Act.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of the Birth Control Campaign (BCC), 1971-1977, including papers relating to Parliamentary action on wider provision of male sterilisation (vasectomy), free provision of contraception under the NHS, and general improved NHS facilities for contraception, abortion and sterilisation. There is also a large section of press cuttings, and files relating to the internal organisation of the campaign, various attempts to promote and publicise its aims, and relations with other bodies in connected fields.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

The collection is divided into sections as follows:
A Organistion and internal matters
B Publicity and promotion
C Other bodies
D Parliamentary matters
E Press cuttings

Conditions governing access:

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

Finding aids:

The catalogue to this collection has not yet been fully converted to electronic form: for detail, and to order material, see hard-copy list available in the Wellcome Library. Copies of the catalogue are available on request.

Collection level description available on-line on the Wellcome Library website

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The bulk of these archives were given to the Wellcome Library by the Birth Control Trust in February 1986. Subsequent supplementary accessions were donated in December 1998 and June 1999 (along with the archives of CO-ORD: the campaign to defend the 1967 Abortion Act). Some of the supplementary material has not yet been catalogued.

ALLIED MATERIALS

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Copied from the Wellcome Library catalogue by Sarah Drewery.